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Posted by: bbrock Apr 4 2019, 04:33 PM

Finally got a quote from a plating company recommended by one of our respected vendors. It seems a little nuts though. I have about 50 lbs. of clean parts that need either yellow cadmium or yellow zinc. Another very small batch in black zinc. They asked me to separate out hardened and non-hardened parts because they only bake the hardened stuff, and send pictures. I did that. The hardened yellow amounts to about 2 lbs. of parts. The black zinc, maybe a pound. They also said they'd let me know if yellow zinc would be cheaper. Here's what I got back:

$200 for the main batch doesn't seem bad, but having to separate out sure adds up for a small amount of additional hardware. I'm just wondering if this is typical of what others are paying. I may just plate and bake the hardened stuff myself but man is that a PITA. Here's what will be in each of those lots:

Black Zinc baked $115


Yellow Cad no bake $200


Yellow Cad bake (except for the hose clamps which will be moved to the no-bake per recommendations and I just noticed a few other pieces that shouldn't be in there) $215

Posted by: 914Sixer Apr 4 2019, 04:37 PM

Last I had done, Yellow cad here is $95 for 1st 50lbs

Posted by: gandalf_025 Apr 4 2019, 04:52 PM

Are you dealing with the actual plating company
or a middle man that does prep work and then sends it out to plate?

I called a car restoration company near me and got the name of the plating company they use.... you can try that....:you can ship via USPS flat rate boxes.
Shouldn’t be that expensive.....

Posted by: Chi-town Apr 4 2019, 04:55 PM

I'm trying out a new place, they did 600+ pieces for $185 gold zinc, silver zinc, and black zinc.

Posted by: bbrock Apr 4 2019, 04:59 PM

Actual plating company. It's the same one PMB uses in SLC and is about the closest one to me. I'll get the name of the place my neighbor who restores cars uses. He said he sends stuff somewhere in CA but didn't remember the name off the top of his head. Thanks for confirming this is high. And any recommendations welcome!:beer2:

Posted by: mepstein Apr 4 2019, 05:21 PM

It would be a gift on the east coast. Nobody does it here.

Posted by: Chi-town Apr 4 2019, 05:23 PM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=10825 the guy I'm trying out is in Wisconsin, that's a bit closer to you. I'll let you know how it looks when it gets back to me.

Posted by: mepstein Apr 4 2019, 05:25 PM

I’m in Delaware. I’ll probably have to ship no matter what.

Posted by: Freezin 914 Apr 4 2019, 05:45 PM

What is the name of the place in Wisconsin?

Posted by: gandalf_025 Apr 4 2019, 05:46 PM

Call P. Russel and Company in Ipswich Mass.
and ask who they use.. They told me a few years ago but I
forgot now..
Also, I googled “zinc plating in Massachusetts” and got a few
names from those people....

Posted by: rudedude Apr 4 2019, 06:05 PM

I had 12 caliper halves and a few other misc pieces done and I didn't make the $50 minimum. Eco plating in minneapolis mn

Posted by: bbrock Apr 4 2019, 06:05 PM

I wonder if it's the place @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9892 uses. When I was looking for recommendations before, he said he has a place local that is reasonable.

Posted by: johnlush Apr 4 2019, 06:09 PM

Might also check with Shaun Budka at http://tru-6.com. He's in Watertown, MA. No idea how his prices stack up but seems to do quality work.

Posted by: 914_teener Apr 4 2019, 06:11 PM

Cadmium Plating and Not yellow zinc?

Have him quote the ASTM spec. or MIL spec.

Posted by: bbrock Apr 4 2019, 06:24 PM

@raynekat used him and I checked into it early on. He does fantastic work but mucho dinero. His service is cleaning and prepping the parts then working closely with the platers for a perfect finish. I've already done spent over a hundred hours doing the prep.



If you are referring to the quote I posted, that's for actual cadmium except for the black zinc. I just told him a preferred cadmium but not if zinc would be cheaper. His first response indicated any price difference depended on the condition of the parts. After seeing the pics, he quoted me zinc. To be honest, communication has been a little frustrating. Nice guy, but I think he's a little too busy to deal with my small potatoes.

Still, I didn't think $200 was horrible for a large batch in actual cadmium. It's the having to pay the whole separate lot charge for the smidgen of parts that need to be baked that is the killer. Then another lot charge for the even smaller batch of black zinc.

Posted by: gandalf_025 Apr 4 2019, 06:27 PM

Shaun is a middle man that does additional prep
work sends the parts out to plate and he does a final
polish of parts...
And his prices reflect that.
If your Looking to pay at the top level,
check with him...

Posted by: 914_teener Apr 4 2019, 07:32 PM

I think that is a great price for Cad.

I was thinking that he might tell you it.s Cad and then plate yellow zinc for that price. That is why I posted that.

Posted by: johnlush Apr 4 2019, 07:48 PM

I was not aware of that. Thanks for the clarification.

Posted by: mb911 Apr 4 2019, 07:55 PM

To clarify tru-6 does allot in house but plating he sends out.. He preps everything. He does all the Cerakote in house, he does lock rekeying in house.

As to plating I use finishing and plating services in Kenosha Wisconsin. If you look at my build thread everything was done there except for my bumpers which Oscar did.

Posted by: mb911 Apr 4 2019, 07:57 PM

Also a side note no one to my knowledge is really doing cad plating it is zinc yellow..

Posted by: mb911 Apr 4 2019, 07:59 PM

One last thing if I can help at all let me know.. I could drop it off and typically talk with the owner for a minute or 2 and for 20-40 bucks get a huge 5 gallon bucket done.

Posted by: bbrock Apr 4 2019, 08:03 PM

The place I got the quote from (Quality Plating in Salt Lake City) still does cad. They claim it has 3X the corrosion protection as zinc.

Posted by: mepstein Apr 4 2019, 08:59 PM

I think I have a couple 5 gallon buckets. I hate to ship big lots of metal but I think I will have to send your way. The only places I've found around here charge 20-40 bucks for a handful of parts. Like chrome, it's not an east coast thing.

Posted by: mb911 Apr 5 2019, 04:49 AM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=20845 are the Pmb brake calipers cad or zinc? The reason I ask I can tell you the difference if interesting as my calipers started the corrosion process very quickly from just sitting on the shelf vs my plated parts from finishing and plating

Also a note. FPS only does plating no prep. You would have to clean/polish or blast ahead of time.

Posted by: bbrock Apr 5 2019, 07:31 AM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9892 That's something I was thinking of asking @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=1110 . All their how-tos and videos say yellow zinc but if they are using a place that also does cad, it makes me wonder. From what I've ready, cad has both better corrosion protection and lubricity compared to zinc so it seems like it would be better for calipers.



Everything has been prepped and ready to go. I"ve lost count of the hours spend wire wheeling, tumbling and blasting this parts. A few parts have a small amount of flash rust from sitting around naked, but that will come off in the pickling before plating. Do you know if FPS bakes parts to control hydrogen embrittlement?

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9892

Posted by: bbrock Apr 30 2019, 02:17 PM

Shout out to @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9892 ! After months of poor communication with the outfit in SLC, I decided to drop Ben's shop in Kenosha an email. Within minutes I got a reply directly from the CEO. He asked for pics which I sent. Within minutes I had a quote. $190 for my entire bunch of parts, both yellow zinc and black, including baking and shipping. That sounds a lot better than $550 + shipping even it this isn't actual cad. Just as important, they actually act like they want my business. Looks like I'll be shipping my parts out to Ben's general vicinity. Thanks for the tip dude!

Posted by: mepstein Apr 30 2019, 02:38 PM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=20845 - What determines baking vs not. Do springs, strut adjustment plates, shims and other hardware get baked or just hardened bolts.

Posted by: Chi-town Apr 30 2019, 02:40 PM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=10825 from what I've looked into it's just hardened bolts and spring steel that seem to need baking

Posted by: mepstein Apr 30 2019, 02:44 PM

OK.

Posted by: bbrock Apr 30 2019, 03:11 PM

Correct. Anything of 10.9 hardness or less does not need to be baked and some sources say shouldn't be baked. I haven't figured out why it is not desirable to bake non-hardened pieces though. I think most places just bake the whole batch if requested. For a technical pub, this document explains things pretty clearly: http://www.boltcouncil.org/files/HydrogenEmbrittlementInSteelFasteners-Brahimi.pdf

Posted by: mb911 Apr 30 2019, 03:17 PM

I actually have a box there for @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=10825 waiting to get done..

Posted by: mepstein Apr 30 2019, 03:22 PM

And some more on the way soon.
I’ll throw the bell crank and steering bushings in the box. @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9892

Posted by: bbrock Apr 30 2019, 03:26 PM

I thought about sending mine to you but decided to see if I could just ship direct and save you the hassle. So far, I'm super impressed with their customer service and don't feel like they think they are doing me a huge favor by accepting my business.

Posted by: Superhawk996 Apr 30 2019, 06:42 PM

baking reduces hydrogen embrittlement (i.e. cracking due to hydrogen getting into the molecular matrix of the steel). Baking drives the hydrogen out.